Imprinting is attracting attention as a pattern forming method which uses an original mold or template (mold) having concavities (recesses) and convexities (protrusions or mesas) in correspondence with a pattern to be formed on a piece, such as a substrate. According to imprinting, light curable resin, for example, is applied to a substrate and brought into contact with a mold, in which condition light is applied to harden the resin. As a result, a pattern containing a reverse image of the concavities and convexities in the mold is transferred from the mold into the layer of the resin. For the mold used in this method, control of the expansion of the resin between the substrate and the mold is essential for achieving highly reliable transfer.